Change of Heart
by Lise-chan
Summary: It's almost Christmas, and Gru and the family are getting ready! As Gru is attempting to make the best of it, he meets a woman who changes his heart along with his daughters, as he begins to appreciate the simple things of the holidays.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Oh boy...it's been awhile since I've updated anything. I got Despicable Me for Christmas this year, and it is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time! For those who haven't seen it, I highly recommend people watching it!**

**I'm still a fan of Sonic, but I'm starting something new, kind of turning the tables...**

**WARNING: There is 1, only 1, OC! It may work for this story, it may not...we'll have to see...**

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* * *

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Christmas.

One of the worst times of the year, according to Gru.

Everyone in the town was getting ready for the holidays to roll around. They put up lights, hung window ornaments, bought trees for decorating, bought many presents for others, and many other things to be prepared for Christmas. Around this time, Gru couldn't help but grimace at the fools who scrambled around town, buying last minute gifts for their families and friends.

Gru had no friends...

But, he did have a family now.

Three, adorable girls were now his adopted daughters: Margo, Edith, and Agnes. Oh boy, did they change his life as a super-villain over the past several months.

With Christmas on the way, the girls were going to change his life again...as well as another special person.

* * *

__

"No. No, no, absolutely not!"

"Awww...why not?"

"Because I said so, and that's final!"

Agnes clung onto Gru's leg, "Pretty please? Christmas is one of the best times of the year!"

Gru shook his head, "I'm sorry, girls, but I cannot celebrate Christmas this year..."

Edith sat on the sofa, "Have you never celebrated Christmas before?"

Agnes asked, "Are scared of Santa?"

Edith added, "I think he's more like the Grinch, don't you think?"

"No, no, that's not it...I just..." Gru paused before replying, "I never...had the chance to...spend Christmas or New Year's Eve with my family or friends..."

Margo crossed her arms, "Haven't you been...lonely?"

Gru nodded, "To be honest...yes, sometimes. I had Nefario and my..."cousins," that is true, but I haven't been able to enjoy it like other families could."

__

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Agnes climbed onto his lap and said, "But you have us, right?"

The father smiled a little and hugged his daughters, "Right. I now have a true family I can spend the holidays with."

Margo chimed in, "Does this mean we can celebrate Christmas?"

Gru groaned quietly after seeing puppy-dog faces stare at him, "Fine, fine. We can do something for Christmas if you really want to..."

__

Screams and swarms of hugs and kisses surrounded him, and he knew he was going to regret this eventually...

* * *

Gru sighed deeply as he walked down the streets, hands in his pockets as the cold winter air bit his face, even if he was wearing a scarf. He saw a family across the street with a newly purchased Christmas tree, everyone laughing and happy with each other. Gru made himself a mental note to bo buy a tree with the girls later that week. It made him grin to see people that happy. He only hoped that he would make Agnes, Margo,and Edith just as happy with what he bought them.

He suddenly felt someone run into him. A spray of boxes and bags flew all around him, and a woman fell to the ground.

She exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry about that!"

Gru was surprised for a few moments, until he replied, "Oh no...no, it was my fault."

"I should've watched where I was going. I'm so sorry!"

"You don't have to apologize so much..."

Gru knelt down to the ground as he continued, "Let me help you gather everything, miss."

He grabbed a few bags and handed them to the woman. She took them and lifted her head to acknowledge him. She had dirty-blonde hair down to below her shoulders, blue eyes, and she was wearing a black coat with a purple patterned scarf and flared jeans. She was blushing a deep red, and she brushed her hair behind her ear.

Let's just say that Gru was taken aback a little.

"Thank you, Mister..."

Gru came back to his senses a moment later. "...Gru. Just call me Gru. And, you are...?"

She stuck out her hand and shook his own, "Oh, sorry. My name's Elizabeth, but people call me Eliza for a nickname."

Gru nodded, "It is...a pleasure, Elizabeth..."

"Same here, Mr. Gru!" She smiled brightly.

Gru couldn't help but grin at that point. He personally thought she was rather pretty, to be completely honest. He kind of felt his heart melt a little when she smiled like that.

He cleared his throat, and lifted the bags he held. "Would it be alright if I helped you...carry your bags, i-if it's alright with you...?"

She carried her boxes with both hands as she nodded, "I'd appreciate that very much!"

* * *

A few blocks of walking, and they finally approached Eliza's house. It was a quaint little house with white paint and Christmas lights hanging from the porches.

Eliza shrugged, "Well, here we are." She led the way to the front door, Gru following close behind her. Eliza fiddled with her house keys, until she finally found the correct key. She shoved it into the lock, and the door unlocked. She pushed the door open, shifting the boxes in her arms.

She turned back to Gru and said, "I can take those bags, if you want. I think I can take it from here."

Gru nodded, "Of course...eh, are you sure you can handle everything, Eliza?"

She smiled again, "I'll be fine! Don't worry, I only have a few more feet to go! Thanks so much for your help, Mr. Gru!"

Gru laughed, "Don't worry about it...you looked like you needed someone to help you with all of your presents and things..."

Eliza scoffed, "I guess I'm lucky to have a guy like you to help me, huh?

"I suppose."

Eliza set her boxes back down and shook his hand again, "I'm glad to have met you, Mr. Gru. Let's hope to meet again soon."

Gru smiled, "Yes...let's hope."

She entered her house, and grabbed her boxes and bags, "Well, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Again, I can't thank you enough!"

She finally closed the door, leaving Gru out on her porch to mumble something no one would think to hear from a guy like him...

"You're welcome, Elizabeth..."

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**Yay! Chapter 1 is finished! Well, I know this may be a really bad piece, and Gru should not act like this at all in the fanfic, but I just wanted to test something...**

**Feel free to review, or whatever...**


	2. Chapter 2

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**Author's Note: Okay, after some Alerts and nice reviews on this fic, I've decided to continue it! I've had some nice ideas for this, anyway...**

Well, let's move onto Chapter 2, shall we?

* * *

Gru dragged the large Christmas tree across the ground, his three daughters running around him with excitement.

"This is gonna be the best Christmas ever!" Agnes shouted, hugging her stuffed unicorn close.

Gru tried to calm everyone down, "Okay, okay girls...settle down. We still have many things to do before we go back home..."

Edith popped a sucker into her mouth as she asked, "Can we go to the toy store, Mr. Gru?"

Margo nodded in agreement, "Yeah, she's right. We can't go back home without going to the toy store first."

Gru shoved the tree inot his oversized car, a minion or two aiding him in the process (they had to stay in the car for patrol purposes). He wiped the snow off of his coat, and turned back to the girls as he glanced at his hi-tech watch.

It read 5:43 pm.

"I suppose we have a little time. We can stop by for a few minutes, if you want."

Edith and Agnes squealed and started running down the street. Gru and Margo decided to stay behind for a little while and enjoy the snow falling from the sky. Gru smiled as he watched Margo attempt to catch a snowflake on her tongue, which she caught a few successfully within a minute. They finally arrived at the toy store, which was rather crowded around this time before Christmas. Edith and Agnes were staring through the display window in front of the shop, admiring all of the toys for sale.

Gru urged the three girls into the store, "Okay, you three...go inside and look around. We need to be back home in half an hour."

Agnes turned to him, "You can't rush us, Mr. Gru! We need to think _very_ carefully about what we want for Christmas!"

Gru nodded and was about to enter the store, until he heard a familiar voice...

"Mr. Gru...?"

He turned to the source of the voice to see none other than...

"Oh! It's you, Elizabeth!"

He took her hand and shook it as she laughed, "I could've sworn it was you...but I didn't want to embarass myself! How are you?"

He shrugged, "I can't complain. I'm just...buying a tree and buying presents for my girls..."

Her eyes widened, "You have children? You didn't tell me last time!"

Gru grinned, "Yes, I have three daughters...I adopted them from an orphanage in town."

Eliza squeaked with excitement, "Aw, that's great! I'm so happy for you! Hey, is it alright if I meet them? I'd like to see for myself...I mean if it's okay..."

Gru nodded, "Of course. They're inside right now..."

A hint of panic began to rise in his chest. What if the girls didn't like Eliza? What would they think of her? What would she think of them? These thoughts swam in his mind as he tried to find his daughters. Sure enough, they were browsing through an aisle that was nothing but full of pink.

The three turned to see Gru and a woman walking their way.

Agnes ran up to Gru, her unicorn in hand, "Mr. Gru, there's something you have to see!"

Gru lifted her into his arms as he answered, "Well, show me what it is, Agnes...then, I'll see if I can get it for you."

Agnes smiled brightly, then saw Eliza standing behind Gru. Her smile faded as she squeezed her unicorn, "Who's that?"

Eliza stepped up, and spoke in a gentle voice. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth. I'm a friend of your dad's."

Edith and Margo came over as well, Edith chiming in, "That's weird...I thought Mr. Gru didn't have many friends aside from his 'friends' in the lab..."

"I heard that!" Gru snapped, "I just want you all to meet my new friend...Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Margo, Edith, and Agnes."

Margo waved, "Hi, Elizabeth. It's nice to meet you."

Edith nodded, "Yeah, same here."

Elizabeth waved back, "Please...just call me Eliza. And, it's nice to meet you too."

Gru cleared his throat as he put Agnes down, "Alright, girls...we don't have much time left, so look around and let me know if you find anything you want."

Margo indicated, "But, if we tell you what we want then they won't be surprises when Christmas comes."

Eliza spoke up as she looked at Gru, "You know...she does have a point, Gru. Isn't that supposed to be the point of opening presents: it's supposed to be a surprise?"

Gru sighed again, "Yes, you're both right. Margo, look after your sisters, while Eliza and I will keep looking around elsewhere..."

Agnes suddenly grabbed Eliza's leg, pleading, "Awww...can't Eliza come with us? I want to show her something! Pretty please?"

Eliza realized she was being dragged away with the girls, and she turned back to see Gru with a surprised look on his face. She giggled, shrugged her shoulders, and made her way to the next aisle, leaving Gru to shop for the girls' presents alone.

* * *

Gru set the bags down as he stepped outside the shop. He thought he would die from embarassment after going through all of the aisles that were nothing but pink. He decided to look around to see if the girls were waiting for him, but he didn't find anyone familiar. He figured they were still in the shop, and he stood by the display window for several minutes. They finally emerged from the store, Eliza carrying two big bags. She saw Gru and she led the girls over.

"Sorry we kept you waiting." She placed the bags on the ground, "We saw some cute things that we had to admire."

Agnes jumped up and down with her stuffed unicorn in hand, "They had a unicorn tea set, and it was pink! I hope Santa gives it to me for Christmas this year, 'cause I've been really good this year!"

Gru began to chuckle nervously, "Yes, yes...let's hope. Okay girls, it's time to head back home and have dinner."

The group walked down the street to the enormous car, the three girls ahead of the adults. Eliza helped carry some bags back, and she started a conversation with Gru.

"So...what're your plans for Christmas this year?"

Gru scratched his chin, "Well, this is my first year with the girls, so I suppose we will stay home and spend the holidays together...what about you, Eliza?"

She shrugged, "Nothing much, I guess. I'll probably just spend time with my family as well...nothing special, you know?"

They finally arrived at the car, Eliza just gasping, "Oh my...that's one big car...are you, like, a inventor or something, Gru?"

Gru answered, "Eh...more of like a former evil genius, to be honest..."

She nodded, "That's cool. Well..." She put the bags in the car, "I guess I'll see you after the holidays, then."

She was about to turn and leave, until she felt a hand grab her coat sleeve.

She noticed Gru had a blush across his face, and he stammered, "E...Elizabeth...?"

"Y-Yeah...? What is it, Gru?" Eliza felt herself blush as well.

"Well...I-I was wondering if...y-you would want to...eh..."

"Wh-What?"

Gru swallowed and took a breath, "Would you like to...um, go and have lunch sometime...before the year ends...?"

Eliza felt her whole body heat rise, "Are...Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Well...yes, I suppose so..."

She brushed back her hair as she looked at the ground nervously. She then looked back up and smiled brightly.

...

"Of course I will, Gru! It's a date, then!"

* * *

**Ugh...this took longer than I thought.**

**More to come, eventually...I hope!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Well, more of this story is up...let's see if I can keep it interesting!**

**Thanks to all of those who've reviewed! It makes me REALLY happy!**

**I'm SO sorry these stories are so late on updates...it's been very crazy in college, so either I was too busy or I just wasn't in the mood...but now I finished my first year of college!**

**Well, let's get back to business, shall we?**

* * *

"Mr. Gru, wake up!"

Gru rolled over in his bed, the covers tangled.

He groaned lightly...for it was Christmas morning.

His bedroom door soon slammed open, three girls running into the room and jumping on his bed.

"Mr. Gru, wake up! It's Christmas!"

Gru mumbled something incoherently and covered his head with the blankets.

"Not now, girls...it's too early..."

Agnes jumped up and down, "Not it isn't! It's almost 7 o'clock!"

Edith nodded, "Yeah! You have to come open presents with us! Please?"

Gru shook his head as he sat up. He yawned, "Oh...alright...I'm coming..." He walked over to his closet and slipped on his burgundy robe as the girls squealed and ran downstairs and into the den, where the lovely Christmas tree was standing with presents under it. Before long, Gru joined the children, and began to open his presents.

* * *

As the minions cooked a hearty breakfast, the girls were enjoying their presents from Gru and "Santa." Gru admitted to himself that he did enjoy the holidays more than when Dr. Nefario was around. But, he was all the way in Australia, researching some recent findings of ancient burial grounds with some new technology he invented.

Just as he was getting into his thoughts, a knock was heard at the door. Gru grumbled to himself, "Who could that be at this hour...?"

Margo stood up, "I'll get it, Mr. Gru."

She ran to the door and opened it to find a familiar face.

"Hey, Elizabeth!"

Gru suddenly jumped up from his chair and rushed over to the door. Sure enough, there she was. Eliza was dressed up in a white tunic dress with a red sweater and brown knee-high boots. With her, she carried two large bags full of gifts. She smiled brightly as she spotted Gru.

"Merry Christmas, everyone!"

Gru grinned nervously, "M-Merry Christmas to you as well, Eliza...come inside. We were just about to have breakfast, that is if you're hungry."

Eliza stepped in and set her bags down as she slipped her boots off, "Thanks, don't mind if I do. In fact, I'm starving!"

Agnes and Edith walked in and saw the large bags. They immediately ran up to her, tugging on her dress.

"Are those presents for us, Eliza?" Agnes exclaimed. Eliza looked at Gru for a second, who shrugged in response.

She then laughed lightly, "Well, Santa made me run an errand to give these to three girls named Margo, Edith, and Agnes..."

More squeals and screams echoed through the house as the girls thanked her and snatched the bags. They ran back into the den, leaving the adults to go into the kitchen and have a few cups of coffee. Eliza's reaction to seeing the minions scurrying around was, at first, surprise but as Gru explained everything her face looked a little calmer.

A filling breakfast of pancakes, bacon, sausage, omlettes, french toast, and...lots of other appetizing delicacies, were served throughout the rest of the evening, and the minions volunteered to clean up eveything. Gru rewarded every single minion with a present and extra servings of breakfast that were saved. The girls opened their presents sent from Eliza, and they were playing with their new toys and crafts, while Gru made a few phone calls to Nefario and his mother. He specifically requested she should come over and babysit next week, because of "set engagements." She merely grunted and agreed to the plan.

* * *

The following week came and went by quickly. Gru examined himself in his mirror, checking if his black tie was straight under his black jacket. He drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves, restraightened everything again, and travelled down the stairs. He entered the den, noticing his mother and the girls watching a movie on the big-screen television.

He cleared his throat and spoke up, "Alright...I'll be back in a few hours. Agnes, Edith, Margo...I expect you all to be on your best behavior for Grandma. Don't stay up too late and no midnight snacks..."

Edith waved a hand half-heartedly, "Yeah yeah yeah...we get the drill, Mr. Gru..."

Gru's mom smiled as she turned her head to Gru, "You just go and have fun, dear...I can handle these three."

Gru nodded, "Alright...well, I am leaving now..."

With that, he opened the front door, and left the house.

* * *

Gru waited patiently in town as he observed the groups of people walking into the restaurant for New Year's...even if it was around 3 pm. There was a light snowfall occuring, the snowflakes floating to the ground like autumn leaves.

"Hey, you!"

Gru turned around to meet the beautiful eyes of Elizabeth. She was wearing a black knee-length skirt, a light blue blouse and black boots. She was wearing a tan winter coat over her outfit.

Gru smiled sheepishly, "H-Hello, Elizabeth. You look lovely today..."

She giggled, "Aw, thank you! You look nice, too!"

"Thank you..." Gru held out his arm for her to take, "Shall we go inside?"

She smiled back as she wrapped her arm around his, "Yes...let's!" The both of them walked into the restaurant and found two seats at a table near a large window. They ordered their drinks and entrees, the waiter left them alone, and there was a slightly awkward silence for a few seconds. Eliza turned her head to watch the people pass by the window.

Gru tapped his fingers on the table lightly before he decided to start a friendly conversation, "So, Eliza..."

She turned back to him and smiled, makig him blush a little.

Gru continued, "Um...so, what do you do for a career? What do you do for a living?"

Eliza laughed, "I thought you'd ask me this eventually! Well...I'm an artist. I've been painting portraits and scenery since I was in elementary school."

Gru's eyes widenend with interest, "You paint? That's amazing; I know very few people around here who paint anymore..."

Eliza nodded sadly, "Yeah, I'm trying to revive the art of painting...I've had a little luck in finding some people who like to paint as well...but, who really knows if children nowadays are willing to learn about people like Picasso and Van Gogh...you know, the different styles and approaches of each artist over time..."

Gru was quiet for a moment, but finally spoke up, "I understand what you are saying, Eliza. To be honest, I was more fascinated by famous inventors back then. But whenever my mother took me to the art museum, I was always captivated by the colors, the patterns, the emotions behind the picture...artists and inventors kind of make me feel...inspired...to create my own machines when I became a so-called 'evil genius' awhile ago."

Eliza laughed in awe, "Wow...Gru, that sounded beautiful...I've never heard such poetry for art."

Gru rubbed the back of his head as he felt his face heat up, "Oh, I wouldn't consider that poetry, Eliza...I'm just telling you how I feel about art..."

Eliza rested her chin in her palm, "Aw, don't put yourself down! Besides, isn't poetry just expressing feelings about something...? Like, what you said about when you would go to the art museum?"

Gru thought, then nodded his head. "Yes...you're right, Eliza."

Unconciously, he rested his hand on top of hers, "Thank you...for agreeing to spend New Year's with me. You don't know how much this means to me..."

It was now Elizabeth's turn to blush a scarlet color. She brushed her hair back with her free hand, as she attempted to look down into her lap. However, she couldn't bring herself to do so, for she was attracted to Gru's gentle and caring eyes which were looking into her own.

Gru gave a small smile as he continued, "I...care about you, Eliza. I do...a lot. I'm very grateful to have met you before Christmas."

He then noticed a tear forming in her eye, and he suddenly felt guilty about making her cry. She lowered her head slightly as she wiped the tears away, "I'm sorry, Gru...it's just that, well, no one's ever said anything like that to me before...it makes me...happy to hear you say that. I'm grateful I met you, too."

She started to sniffle, wiping her tears away. She noticed Gru's hand was off of hers, and she suddenly felt arms wrap around her.

Was Gru...hugging her?

"Uh...Gru...? Wh-What are you...?"

"It's alright, Eliza..." Gru held her even closer, "I, to be honest, haven't told anyone anything like that. I've...never been in a relationship like this...with anyone."

Eliza grinned as more tears came to her eyes, "Do you really consider this a relationship?"

...

"I do."

...

"Heh, me too..."

* * *

**Okay...I'm gonna stop it here! It's getting a little long...**

**Well, I'm done with my first year of college, and I will be getting a job this summer...so who knows if I'm actually going to have more time to add anything to...well, anything...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Well...time to update this! This will be something a of a (very late) Valentine's Day special, just for all of the followers/fans of this story!**

**I apologize for the approximate 2-year-long hiatus on this story...ran out of inspiration and whatnot...again.**

**Onward to Chapter 4!**

* * *

New Year's went as fast as it came. Soon, Valentine's Day was well underway. Gru and Elizabeth had been dating for over 1 month. Their relationship was going steadily and smoothly, and Gru knew it was almost time to take his relationship to the next level. After their special dinner together, they started going out every weekend together. Taking strolls around the town were satisfying enough for the both of them, give or take a few special trips to certain places like restaurants and recreational spots. And with Valentine's Day approaching, he knew he had to make it a special day...for the both of them!

His plan was simple; take Eliza to a romantic dinner in candlelight, give her an elaborate gift, and perhaps...maybe...

...give her a kiss...?

He tried to push that thought into the back of his mind, and focused on the main problem:

What gift was he going to give her?

As he concentrated on this, he was unaware his phone was ringing a few feet away. After a minute of ringing, a voice message played instantly which caused Gru to jump slightly.

"Gru! It's Dr. Nefario! I'm on my way back from Australia, and I need you to be able to pick me up at the airport tomorrow! I've got a lot of things I brought back that I thought you would like, so make sure to have some minions to help carry everything! I'll call you when we land, alright?"

Gru walked over to his closet to pick out an appropriate suit for his date with Elizabeth.

"What're you doing, Mr. Gru?"

Gru yelped and jumped around to see Agnes, Margo and Edith standing in the doorway.

"Oh, girls! You scared me half to death!"

Agnes ran over and hugged his leg, "Why are you picking out fancy clothes, Mr. Gru?"

Gru stammered, "Well, uh, I'm just...um, picking out something to wear when I meet Elizabeth for Valentine's Day...um, anyway...what are you three up to?"

Edith smiled, "We're making Valentines for everyone! Wanna make one for Elizabeth before you leave?"

Gru laughed lightly, "Maybe a little later. Right now, I'm trying to find something to match this red tie..." He began to mumble to himself about which jacket matched the dark red color of his chosen tie, which shoes to polish, what flowers to give to Elizabeth, what places to take her after dinner...

Margo, Agnes and Edith just looked at each other, shrugged, and walked back to the kitchen to finish making their valentines.

* * *

After about 20 minutes of decisions and preparations, Gru stepped out of his bedroom all dressed up in a black suit with a white shirt and his dark red tie. When he came into the kitchen, the girls just stared in awe. Even some of the minions who joined them for making valentines were staring. Margo adjusted her glasses, while Edith's mouth hung open.

This sudden awkwardness made Gru back away a step as he said nervously, "What? D-Don't look at me like that...tell me what you think. Does it look bad?"

Margo quickly replied as she stopped fidgeting with her glasses, "No, no! I think you look great! You know...if I were Eliza, I think I'd be really impressed."

She smiled as Agnes giggled, and Edith and the minions nodded their heads enthusiastically. Gru smiled back, giving them each a tight and loving hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"We made Eliza some valentines, Mr. Gru!" Anges cheered as she handed Gru the card she had just finished. Hearts were drawn all over with glitter sparkling along the border of the card.

"So I see," Gru complimented, "They look wonderful. I'm sure Eliza will love them!" Agnes giggled again as Edith and Margo gave him their own valentines for Eliza. He placed them in the pink gift bag he had filled with a small gift and his own card he had picked out. He still had a little time to drive into town to buy her a bouquet of flowers.

He grabbed his car keys, took his coat off the coat rack, and called out as he stepped out the door, "Okay girls, I'm heading out! Don't cause trouble for Grandma once she gets here! I will be back in a few hours!"

The three girls called back with farewells, and Gru closed the house door behind him.

* * *

Gru drew in a deep breath as he pulled his car up to Elizabeth's house. He began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel nervously as he waited, until he finally saw a female silhouette walking through the house door, locking it, and walking towards the car. Elizabeth opened the car door, and allowed herself to greet Gru and sit down in the passenger seat next to him.

"Hi, Gru! Thanks for picking me up tonight! Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!"

Gru laughed, "It's my pleasure, Elizabeth. And Happy Valentine's Day!"

He drove them to a famous restaurant just outside of town that he had read about on the Internet, and had reserved a spot for himself and Eliza a couple weeks prior. The hitch, was that Eliza had no idea about where Gru was taking her. He wanted it to be a surprise, or rather, he wanted the entire date to have one surprise after another.

After a friendly conversation about what was new since they last saw each other, Gru stopped in front of the restaurant. Eliza took a look outside the window, and gasped.

"Is this where we're eating?" She had an enormous smile across her face.

Gru answered simply, "Well, I reserved two of the best seats in there...just the two of us, tonight."

Eliza began to giggle like a little girl, and it almost reminded of Agnes's laugh that always echoed in his house. He let himself out of the car, and opened the door for his date. He took her hand and placed it on his arm, leading her into the restaurant. After they were seated and ordered their food, they began to make idle conversation until Eliza reached into her purse.

"I have something for you, Gru! I thought I should give it to you now before I forgot!" She gave him a small box wrapped in red paper and a card. Gru raised an eyebrow as he opened the card, and he began to read it aloud.

"Dear Gru,

"Thank you for the wonderful times we had this past month! I've never met a funnier, kinder, entertaining father of three girls like you! I hope your Valentine's Day will be the best with the people who love and care about you, and I'm forever thankful for that day when we first met before Christmas! Happy Valentine's Day to you, Gru!

"Love, Eliza."

Gru couldn't help but smile at this point, and he looked up at Eliza with a blush on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Eliza. This is a wonderful card."

Eliza blushed as well, "Open your present, silly! I want to see your face once you figure out what it is!"

"Alright, alright, I will!" Gru unwrapped the present and opened the box. He could feel his jaw hang open once he saw what was inside. It was a wristwatch with the face of the clock made of obsidian, while the wristband, hands of the clock, and frame were made of sterling silver.

"Eliza...!" Gru was almost speechless as he took the watch out of the box and attached it to his wrist. "It's beautiful...I don't know what to say, but...thank you very much!"

Eliza giggled again, "I thought you'd like it! I thought it suited you well, perhaps make you a little more sophisticated!"

Gru took the watch and attached it to his left wrist. He admired it for another minute, while Eliza simply looked on with a big smile across her face. Finally, Gru handed her three cards from the girls, Eliza loving each one she opened. He then gave her his own card he got for her, and she too read it aloud.

"Dear Eliza,

"I wish to send a Happy Valentine's Day to you! I have enjoyed every moment we've shared together, and I wish to have many more memorable times like this with you in the future! From all of us to you, Happy Valentine's Day!

"With Dearest Sincerity, Gru (and Agnes, Edith and Margo)."

Eliza closed the card and held it close to her chest as she said quietly, "Oh Gru...this is so sweet. Thank you!"

Gru grabbed the gift for her and slid it across the table to her. She noticed the gift, looked at Gru, then back to the wrapped box. She nervously took it and unwrapped it slowly. She opened the lid of the box, and inside was a necklace on a silver chain with a pink spinel gem attached.

Eliza's eyes began to fill with tears as she took the necklace out of the box.

"Gru, I...I've never gotten something like this before...thank you! I...I can't believe you got this for me! Thank you, thank you so much!"

Gru walked over next to her and helped her put the necklace on around her neck.

"Pink is still your favorite color, is it not?"

Eliza sniffed as she fixed her hair, "Yeah, of course it is! Gru, I love it so much...!"

She stood up and faced Gru as she wiped her eyes from her tears. She suddenly threw her arms around him, and hugged him tightly. Gru stood there in surprise for a few seconds, but returned the embrace with caring arms gently wrapped around her.

"I'm glad you like it, Eliza."

"I love it, Gru. Thank you...so much!"

They finally broke their embrace, sat back down in their seats and had a wonderful dinner in the candlelight together. Laughter, jokes, compliments, and random discussions were exchanged across the table for hours. Once their dinner was eaten, they shared a simple dessert, Gru paid for the check and got prepared to leave. He slipped his coat on, and held his hand out for Eliza.

"We still have some time before it gets too late. Would you like to go somewhere else for a little while?"

Elizabeth smiled and took his hand eagerly, and they walked out of the restaurant and back into the cold winter air, hand-in-hand.

* * *

They both walked around the town for another hour, and they eventually found themselves in the local park. The white winter lights were lit in the trees lining the sidewalks, and the central fountain was lit with the water reflecting the colors within . Eliza didn't dare let go of Gru's hand after they left the restaurant, for she was attached by the unexpected warmth he possessed. They stopped in front of the fountain to admire the numerous mixtures of colors the lights released into the water. Gru looked down at Eliza, who was staring st the fountain with a look of awe, and shivering from the cold breeze that blew through the park. Gru took his coat off and placed it over her shoulders, making Eliza look back at him. She smiled sweetly, and hugged the coat around her shoulders tightly.

They kept on standing in front of the fountain and holding hands for another minute, until Gru cleared his throat.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yeah?"

Gru turned himself toward Eliza, which made her turn back to him. She was still smiling brightly, the reflection of the lights in the park outlining her face perfectly, and her new necklace glittering around her neck. Gru's face was turning a deep red, and he slowly reached a hand up to fix Eliza's long hair that had gotten slightly messy from the winter wind. He leaned in close to her, his eyes meeting her blue ones intensely.

He whispered softly, "Eliza...I never thought I would meet someone like you. You mean so much to me, and I do not want to let you go...I care about you, so much..."

Eliza felt tears stream down her cheeks, as she stared back at him. She was surprised to hear those words said so intently and lovingly to her.

"Gru, I...I care about you too...I want to spend the rest of the night with you. I don't want it to end...not yet..."

Gru caressed her cheek and wiped the tears away as he answered, "Neither do I..."

He leaned in even closer, his heart pounding through his chest. He never would have guessed that he would find someone who would adore him this much, aside from his daughters. This young woman, whom he had met before Christmas, was one of those people most precious to him...and now...

...

...

He felt soft lips touch his. Soft, sweet lips belonging to the woman he fell for, returning his kiss with such passion.

Her arms slithered around his neck, lightly embracing him. Neither of them wanted to break their kiss; the moment was too perfect.

After what seemed like forever they broke their kiss, but their faces remained close together. Gru was about to break the silence between them, but only to have Elizabeth press a finger to his lips, giggle, and kiss him again. Gru finally melted into her arms, wrapping his arms around her so tightly to protect her from the cold, harsh winds, and welcoming her into his warmth and the romantic, loving care within himself.

* * *

Gru parked the car outside of Elizabeth's house, allowing himself to get out first, and letting Eliza to take his hand after he opened the passenger door for her. She took his hand, and he escorted her to her front door on the porch.

Eliza unlocked her door, then turned to him with a smile.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Gru." She traditionally brushed her hair behind her ear as her cheeks became flushed, "Maybe we can do this again sometime."

Gru nodded, "Yes, I would enjoy that very much, Eliza. Would you like to go out to lunch sometime next week? Maybe pizza?"

Eliza laughed, and kissed his cheek playfully, "Of course! I'd love to!"

Gru smiled back, taking her hand for the final time that night.

"Well, goodnight Elizabeth."

"Goodnight, Gru."

With that, they gave a goodnight kiss on her porch that night as the snow began to fall. They didn't think this Valentine's Day could have been any more perfect with each other.

And as Elizabeth and Gru lay in their beds later that night, they both seemed to have agreed that it was a night that would never be forgotten any time soon.

* * *

**Oh boy! This actually took months to finish (figures since this was supposed to be for Valentine's Day)! I'm sorry if it's too long or too "meh." It was late at night when I finally finished this monster of a chapter, and I was running out of ideas to write for this.**

**It might not be my best, but hopefully you fans enjoy it!**


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